


Blue skies

by Dienda



Series: College AU drabbles [2]
Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, College AU, Fluff, Idiots in Love, M/M, One Shot, Unresolved Romantic Tension, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-02
Updated: 2014-06-02
Packaged: 2018-02-03 02:32:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1727855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dienda/pseuds/Dienda
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Will's feeling down and Matthew thinks a picnic is just the thing to cheer him up.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Blue skies

Matt knew something like this would happen the moment he came into the dorm two evenings ago and found Will curled on the couch reading _that_ book.

He had tried to distract him then, jumped on the free cushions and began talking about everything and nothing at the same time. Will listened to him with the usual amusement reserved for his babbling but, when Matt stopped for breath, he picked up the book and went back to his reading.

“Don’t read that book, it’s horrible,” whined Matthew.

“It’s not that bad,” Will chuckled.

“You obviously haven’t gotten to the horrible parts.”

The other boy shrugged.

“It’s for class. I’ll finish it in no time.” He threw Matt a lopsided grin, rapped him on the forehead with the book, and went into his room.

 

The thing was, Will had this strange way of tuning his moods to the things around him; it was an odd sort of empathy that seemed to make him borrow feelings from people, animals and books alike. Matthew remembered all too well when Will had gone on a Romanticism binge and, as a result, had walked around with a cloud of Sturm und Drang above his head for almost three weeks straight.

 

Now it was Saturday morning and Will was curled in his bed with the covers over his head. Matt entered the room and sat on the edge of the mattress.

“Rise and shine, pretty boy.” He gave the lump of blankets a shake.

“Matthew, go away, I don’t wanna get up today,” was the muffled answer.

Matt leaned his weight on his friend’s back.

“It’s a beautiful morning; sun’s bright, birds are chirping, you have to get up.”

Will’s head peaked from beneath the covers.

“I really don’t feel like going out. I’m not in the mood for anything.”

“I told you not to read that blasted book.” Matthew frowned at the copy of Hardy’s _Jude the Obscure_ sitting on the nightstand.

“And I told you, I had to read it for class,” Will scowled back at him.

“Did you have to write a paper? I could have written it for you.”

“Christ, Matt; I’m just not in the mood for anything, alright?”

Normally, Matthew would back off. He knew the other boy was more reserved; sometimes he needed to hide behind his forts and be left alone, Matt understood that. But this melancholy was not Will’s; he had picked it up from a depressing character in a depressing book and it was unfair their weekend got ruined because Thomas Hardy wanted to make a point.

“Come on. I was thinking we could go out of town; you remember that camping site we went to, with the stream? It’s only a few miles away; we can take the bike and ride out there, have a picnic.”

“Matt―”

“Please. Your favourite roommate is asking.”

Will cocked an eyebrow.

“What makes you think you’re my favourite? Maybe I prefer Hannibal.”

Matthew snorted.

“Please, like Hannibal ‘let me tell you about my pretentious hobbies’ Lecter could compare to me.”

“He has nothing on your modesty, at least.”

“You can teach me to fish.”

“We don’t have fishing rods.”

“Then you can talk to me about fishing while we have lunch on the grass. Please.”

Will sighed.

“Alright, but you take care of the food, I’m not braving the kitchen.”

“Deal,” Matt chirped happily. He tore Will’s covers away, dragged the other boy up and gave him a loud peck on the cheek. “Get dressed, I’ll raid the fridge.”

Matthew packed their lunch and liberated a bottle of wine from Hannibal’s cupboard. Will was waiting for him at the door, wrapped in his leather jacket, their helmets in hand.

 

The bike was more of an old fashioned scooter Matt had bought second-hand, but he always talked about it like it was the hottest ride he’d ever seen.

The morning was a sunny as Matt promised. They arrived at the camping site and were glad to find it wasn’t crawling with people. Will claimed a patch of grass by the river, well away from the campers.

They took off their shoes and rolled up their jeans; the water was cold and clear against their ankles. Will perked up at the sight of a fish swimming past their toes.

“That’s a trout, but it’s too small to catch.” He followed the small trout until it disappeared downstream.

He told Matt about fishing tricks and gear, what sort of fish could be caught depending on the season and the weather; he went on about feathers and the right kind of thread to tie a lure. Will could feel his mood improving as he spoke, their quiet chatter and the murmur of the stream pulling his mouth into a smile.

“You tuck the end between the lines and tighten.” He was showing Matthew how to tie a blood knot with a twig and a loose thread from his shirt. “And before you cast the line, you name the bait on your hook after somebody you cherish.”

Matt raised an eyebrow.

“You name the bait after a loved one?”

Will shrugged.

“If the person you name it after cherishes you back, as the superstition goes, you will catch the fish.”

Matthew stared at him, eyes greener than the spring trees around them.

“I don’t know if I’d get the fish, with the name I have in mind.”

Will looked away, down at their feet beneath the water.

“Maybe, on the next break, I don’t know― you could come to Wolf Trap with me, just for a few days― if you want to, I mean.” He kicked his legs, feeling the current run against his calves. “You could meet my dogs and there’s a small creek near the house, I could teach you, properly.”

Matt smiled brightly. “I will.”

 

Soon hunger tugged the away from the water. They laid out a fleece blanket Will recognised from Matthew’s bed, and sat down to eat.

“Chicken nuggets and wine. Are you trying to court me, Mr Brown?” Will giggled at their lunch.

Matt gave a debonair wave of his hand.

“I know the way straight to your heart.”

“But really, Matt, wine?” the other boy asked as he poured the red liquid into plastic cups.

“I know a guy,” Matt winked.

Will snorted.

“Yeah, I know him too. He’s gonna hulk out when he finds out we took one of his bottles.”

“We’ll replace it; he’ll never know.”

“Right.”

There was a moment of silence.

“God, I just imagined Hannibal hulking out, thanks for that mental image.” They broke out in breathless laughter.

 

They didn’t finish the bottle but, by the time the nuggets were gone, both boys had a silly smile on their faces and a pink shade on their cheeks.

Matt was rummaging through the bottom of his backpack for dessert. At last, he found a handful of chocolate kisses; he unwrapped one and presses it against Will’s lips.

“I’m not a baby, you know. I can hold my alcohol,” Will complained even as he chewed the treat.

“Of course you can, and you didn’t almost fall down into the river not five minutes ago.”

“I got up too fast. I’m not drunk, just a bit lightheaded.” He cocked an eyebrow at his friend and leaned back on his elbows. “Were you trying to get me drunk, Matthew?”

Matt pushed him back onto the blanket.

“Yes. It was all a ploy to steal your virtue. Your body shall be mine now.”

“That was so cheesy,” Will giggled. “You really have to stop watching chick flicks with Alana.”

“She claims they’re for research.” Matthew leaned closer, settled against the other boy’s side. “I promised no to tell but, she borrows them from a certain roommate of ours.”

“No way.” Will chuckled, smiling up at the clouds; he felt warm and happy. He thought lazily that, if something were to happen ―he felt on the brink of something, he always did with Matt― he’d welcome it with open arms. He reached his hand up and brushed his knuckles down Matthew’s jaw. “So, we have the romantic scenery and the handsome protagonists.”

“Yep,” Matt smiled. “All we need now is a corny song in the background and we’re set.”

He buried his nose in Wills hair and started humming the first Ed Sheeran ballad he could think of.

 

“And now―” When he drew back a little Will’s eyes were closed and his chest rose and fell with the soft rhythm of sleep. Matt felt a wave of tenderness, barely marred by disappointment.

He settled on the blanket and watched his friend. He’d let Will rest a while. They still had time.

**Author's Note:**

> [Jude the Obscure](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jude_the_Obscure), don't try this at home, kids.


End file.
